Put a spring in your step in Victoria's spa country
04/18/2009
The Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges region is the spa capital of Victoria, just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne earning it a well-earned reputation as a haven for relaxation and recuperation.
About 80 percent of the naturally-occurring mineral springs in Australia can be found in the region and the area is now noted for its day spas and wellness centres. The region has arguably the greatest concentration of masseurs and natural therapists in Australia offering everything from acupuncture, traditional Chinese massage, Bowen therapy and shiatsu to fabulous facials, mud baths, Reiki and reflexology.
Bathing in mineral waters is reputed to be effective in treating a wide range of illnesses and diseases, both of the mind and the body. The Aborigines of the Central Highlands of Victoria had always known of the existence of mineral springs in the forest. They called them ‘special waters’ and valued them for their healing properties.
Often described as 'taking the waters', the benefits of bathing in the mineral waters are extensive. The practice of using natural mineral spring water to prevent or cure diseases goes back 5,000 years to the Bronze Age. Waters rich in sulphur and sulphates are believed to strengthen the immune system, kill bacteria and fungi and are used to treat skin conditions. Bicarbonate balances the pH in your bloodstream. Calcium and silica are good for your bones. Magnesium helps keep your kidneys healthy. Potassium is good for your mind and your muscles. Sodium helps prevent stomach disorders and sulphate purifies your liver.
The Daylesford and Hepburn Springs area was founded on a history of creating harmony between mind, body and soul. Mineral springs like those concentrated around Hepburn Springs were harnessed in the post gold-rush days of the late 19th century. Initially, their true value was only appreciated by a select group of Swiss and Italian settlers who made the area their home and peppered it with their architecture and heritage.
Hepburn Spa was established in 1895 when the Bathhouse building was opened with a small number of mineral water baths and it quickly became Australia’s foremost public mineral water spa bathing facility.
The majority of springs in the area are sourced from sandstone, shale and silt which was laid down under the sea around 450 million years ago. Typically, around 2.5g/l of total dissolved mineral salts are found in these springs, which is very similar to the famed European spas.
Today you can stroll through forests or open fields around Daylesford and Hepburn Springs and come across a cool mineral spring or two flowing from the ground right at your feet. Quench your thirst and sample the therapeutic waters via old-fashioned hand pumps or continuous flowing pipes and you'll notice that every spring has a different taste, depending on the minerals present.
Mineral Spa at Peppers Springs Retreat
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